Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, and Melissa Reid, 19, told an Irish-American bishop who visited them in their police cell that they were flown from Ibiza to Morocco by the gang before being taken to Peru.

Archbishop Sean Walsh had said he believed the women had been “set up” and described them as “weepy and upset” as they await a court appearance.

Miss Reid claimed the pair were told they would be killed if they didn't carry the drugs and said "we were not smuggling for money, we were smuggling for our lives".

She also told how the gang had a secret dossier on their families in Glasgow and Belfast and threatened them with violence if they failed to do as they asked.

Meanwhile Miss McCollum Connolly's family solicitor said she was "finding it difficult to cope" whilst denying she is guilty of any offence.

It has also emerged that the two women could have to wait up to 36 months before they eventually stand trial, because of Peru’s notoriously slow legal system.

Miss McCollum Connolly, from Co Tyrone, and Miss Reid, from Glasgow, were arrested in Lima as they tried to board a flight for Madrid carrying 11kg of cocaine, worth £1.5 million, hidden inside packets of food.

"I was forced to take these bags in my luggage," she insisted. Asked if she knew they contained drugs, Miss Reid replied: " I did not know that."

The food packages in which the drugs were found (Barcroft)

Later, she told reporters the gang warned them: "Do it - or die."

She said: “We were given no option. If we didn’t do as we were told we would be dead.

"We were not smuggling for money, we were smuggling for our lives."

The two women had been living on Ibiza since the start of the summer, and their families had no idea they had gone to Peru until news of their arrests reached them.

Archbishop Walsh told Ireland’s RTE radio: “They told me that there were a group of Colombians actually took them at gunpoint and threatened them.

“They held them in [Ibiza] for a while and they took them to Morocco. Now I don’t know what happened and I don’t know how they got over to Peru, there was no direct flight from Morocco. They had to go through Spain probably, but if they threatened them in some way that seems to me a credible defence.

“If they have been coerced or threatened as I think they are going to argue, then the fact that they physically had it in their possession may not mean that they were intentionally or willingly doing it if they were forced with threats on their life.”

The two friends could appear in court as early as today, but are likely to be sent to the tough Santa Monica de Chorrillos prison for the majority of their remand period.

The Archbishop added: “My personal feeling with these girls? They really and truly have been set up.”

Peter Madden, solicitor to Miss McCollum Connolly's family, said: "Michaella has been questioned by the police and has denied involvement in any criminal offence. She will be appearing before an examining judge shortly.

"Michaella's family are obviously shocked and distressed by the recent events but are confident that Michaella will be exonerated. The family fully support her and they are making arrangements to travel to Peru. They have contacted support groups in Lima to ensure that her current needs are met.

"I am arranging legal representation for her in Lima.

"I spoke to Michaella last night and she emphasised that she denied that she was guilty of any offence. She is well. She is not on hunger strike. She is finding it difficult to cope with the current situation, so far from home, but is optimistic."

Bruno Min, from Fair Trials International, warned that they could face a long wait for justice to run its course, as the maximum period for pre-trial detention is 36 months.

He said: “Peru is one of those countries where the justice system suffers from delays; it’s not uncommon for people to complain to us about delays in their cases.”

If convicted, the two women are likely to face a minimum sentence of eight years imprisonment, though a prison transfer treaty between Britain and Peru means that in some cases prisoners are allowed to serve part of their sentence in their home country.

Raul Gutierrez, a solicitor representing the two women, said they were both “well” and were being kept together.

He added: “They were caught at the airport with drugs. This is a big crime here. We see it every day, foreigners being caught with drugs at the airport.”

Peru this year overtook Colombia as the biggest cocaine producer in the world, according to the United Nations.

The Foreign Office is providing consular assistance to Miss Reid. Miss McCollum Connolly was travelling on an Irish passport so is being aided by diplomats from the Irish embassy in Mexico City.